Delhi Women's Commission Member Quits On Live TV, Says Kumar Vishwas Is Innocent

To go with story 'India-vote-Gandhi' by Annie Banerji, Adam Plowright
In this photograph taken on March 12, 2014, Aam Admi Party (AAP) election candidate Kumar Vishwas addresses villagers during a campaign rally in Amethi. For more than 30 years, the people of Amethi, a poor wheat-growing region dotted with hamlets, have turned out to elect different members of India's most famous clan. But even here, in the most partisan of spots in Uttar Pradesh state 600 kilometres (370 miles) east of Delhi, echoes of the doubts raised in the capital about the 43-year-old Rahul Gandhi's leadership can be heard. AFP PHOTO/SANJAY KANOJIA (Photo credit should read Sanjay Kanojia/AFP/Getty Images)

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NEW DELHI — It was high drama at a press conference at the Delhi Commission for Women which is independently investigating molestation charges against Kumar Vishwas of the Aam Aadmi Party. Juhi Khan, a member of the DCW, quit the commission during a press conference while it was being telecast live on TV on Tuesday afternoon, making allegations against Barkha Singh, the chairman of the commission.

"Kumar Vishwas is innocent," said Khan during the press conference, shouting over Singh's address to the media. "Her (Singh's) actions are politically motivated." Following her outburst, she declared that she was quitting the commission, and walked off before other visibly stunned members could react.

Meanwhile Singh, in turn, said that Khan had joined AAP and was acting according to the party's interests. While Khan has denied holding any official post in AAP, Singh said that she had announced during one of the DCW meetings that she had joined the party.

The DCW press conference came at a time when Vishwas, who was summoned before the commission, did not make his appearance, claiming he had not received any official notice on the issue.

"So much of arrogance is not good. He (Vishwas) has got the summons. We sent it six days back. He should come and clear the issue," said Singh. "The lady first went to these people, but got no justice and then she came to us. So, it is our duty to help her and we will extend all support to her."

Vishwas has been accused of having a physical relationship with a volunteer in the run-up to the 2014 Lok Sabha polls. The victim has alleged that Vishwas's wife has been spreading rumours that she found him in a compromising position with the poet-turned politician. She has also alleged that she is being defamed on social media.

Vishwas had, however, yesterday termed the woman's allegations as baseless and put the onus on the Delhi Police which he said did not take any action on her complaint. He also accused the media of twisting the entire story to malign the party's image.

Today, party leader and Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal too came out in support of his colleague, blaming the media for maligning Vishwas' image and spreading lies against him.

"You can ask us about our work, our political duties, and we'll answer," said Kejriwal on Tuesday. "But we'll stay away from these unnecessary controversies that are being generated without basis."